Les pushed open the
door to the noisy, dark bar. He knew this was a familiar haunt of
Stella's, as it was close to NYU. He didn't pay much attention to
the musician playing on stage, but hurriedly scanned the dimly lit
room looking for his “other woman”. He spotted her at a booth,
surrounded by a gaggle of girls her age. Reluctantly, knowing that
she had no doubt told them all the latest and that he was the object
of their scorn, he moved in her direction. He needed to make this
right somehow, whether with her or himself, he wasn't as yet sure.
Stella had his back to
him in the booth and he cautiously tapped her shoulder. Her face
fell when she turned to him in recollection then plastered on a mock
smile of amusement.
“Hi,” was all he
could say. She looked at him, trying to mask the pain hiding behind
her eyes. He blanched, he had not meant to hurt her, for any of this
to happen. He didn't really know why he had pursued this, curiosity
maybe, and boredom.
“What do you want?”
She asked, tossing her head, unsuccessfully trying to sound scornful.
“Can we, uh, talk?”
was all he managed. She turned to her friends who made their
disapproval visible and then turned back to him. Slowly, she nodded
and said,
“Yeah, all right.”
He could feel the
glaring of her friends' eyes as she followed him to a nearby table.
She was carrying her drink, a martini in one hand and she sat perched
on the stool staring at him, with her deadliest eyes.
“So, talk,” she
said at last with a heavy sigh.
“Look, I'm really
sorry that this all happened,” he began.
“That you got caught
or...?” Stella wanted to know.
He scanned the room,
searching his mind for a suitable answer. He looked back at her, her
eyebrows raised, waiting.
“I'm sorry, is all,
really very sorry,” came his answer.
She heaved a huge sigh
and then looked over at him.
“Okay,” she said
at last.
“Okay?”
“Yeah, just okay,”
she smiled at him, flirtatiously. “Look, I'm probably just really
drunk and my friends will hate me, but you want to get out here.”
“What do you have in
mind?”
“My room-mate's out
of town for the weekend,” she suggested. He nodded in agreement.
“I'm just going to grab my purse and head to the bathroom, okay?
I'll be right back.”
She set her drink down
and bounced off, letting her bottom sway seductively as she headed
off into the darkness. Les turned and watched the surroundings. The
singer was finishing her set and heading towards the bar, guitar in
hand. It was too dark to make any full details out of her. He
thought about getting a drink himself, but decided against it since
he would be leaving soon. The singer turned, drink in hand, and
stood staring at him. Slowly, she made her way to the table.
Immediately, he recognized her.
“Ruby,” was all he
said. She nodded at him.
“Les, I didn't know
this was your scene,” she began and then concluded with, “Anymore.”
“Nice to see you
too,” he said unfeelingly. “What brings you out tonight?”
“I play here every
Friday,” she explained. “Brings in a little money, fun times, and
I get free drinks.”
He looked her over.
She looked none different than how she'd been in college or even high
school. He almost could see the girl he'd met at Crowshaven, pretty
face under the messy pulled back hair, dirty feet and all. He
twinged inside with judgment and said, before he could stop himself,
“When are you going
to grow up, Jewels?”
She scowled up at him
and parted her lips to speak, but took a sip of her drink instead.
At that moment, Stella bounded up, purse swinging at her side.
“I'm ready to go,”
she said with a wink of her eye. Les looked over at Ruby whose scowl
turned to a full frown in judgment.
“I'm just...,” he
began and then reconsidered. “This is Stella, and this is Ruby.”
The two women shook
hands with another.
“Loved your music
tonight,” giggled Stella.
“Thank you,”
purred Ruby politely. Stella turned to Les and slipped her arm
around his waist.
“All set?” she
wanted to know. Les turned to Ruby whose eyes were flashing with
anger. A pang of shame coursed through his entire body. He didn't
know what exactly to say.
“When will you,”
began Ruby staring straight into his eyes. He turned, pulling Stella
with him without saying good-bye to his old friend.
“What?” Stella
asked him. Ruby called after him, answering Stella.
“When will you grow
up, Trip?”
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